Close encounters of the Supermarket kind
by Black Angel
Summary: Bella learns for the first time just how hard being a Cullen can be when she runs into Jessica at the supermarket. Post Breaking Dawn
1. Close Encounter

**Close encounters of the Supermarket kind**

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_Summary:_ Bella learns for the first time just how hard being a Cullen can be when she runs into someone from her human life.

_Spoilers:_ Breaking Dawn

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"Okay honey, look around. Do any of these smell even slightly appealing to you?" My beautiful daughter sitting in the shopping cart shook her head and I sighed. We were in the cereal isle of the thriftway and I was, for what felt like the thousandth time, trying to interest my baby in some human food. Life would be so much easier for her if she could just open the fridge whenever she got hungry.

Renesmee loved going into town, something she didn't get to do often. So when Esme had announced she wanted to have a barbecue for the packs to thank them for their help with the Volturi I'd offered to do the shopping so I could take her. Jacob, who cherished every minute he could spend with Nessie away from the vampire stench, was happily looking for snacks a few isles away.

"Come on sweetie, look at all the pretty boxes! Doesn't anything look even a little edible?"

"No!" Nessie crossed her tiny arms over her chest and pouted. She was not one for temper tantrums but she was getting annoyed with me. The expression on her face combined with the little pink jumper and shoes Alice had dressed her in had me melting in a second. I couldn't help myself as I bent down to kiss her cheeks, her forehead, her nose. Her beautiful baby laugh egged me on and I tickled her gently. Her hands on my cheeks showed me happiness and love. Apparently I was forgiven for trying to force her into buying human food. I laughed with her.

"Bella?" A surprised voice stopped me in my tracks. It was a dreadfully familiar voice. I looked up to see Jessica standing at the other end of the isle, holding a box of cake mix. A bunch of emotions crossed her face, surprise, intrigue, jealousy, confusion and finally excitement.

"Bella! It _is_ you! Wow you look..." She walked towards me with her arms open and I quickly scooped up Renesmee so Jess wouldn't be able to hug me. My skin was too cold and hard, not to mention human proximity still made me a little nervous.

Renesmee hid her face in my hair. She showed me that she understood Jessica was a human and that she'd stay quiet and play the part of a two year old.

"Oh wow!" Jess said when she finally reached us. "Who is this?"

"This is my daughter, Renesmee." I answered her truthfully. I was expecting her reaction but I still felt uneasy when her eyes popped open so widely it looked like they were going to fall out of her head. I could see her taking in Renesmee's appearance, doing the math, trying to make things fit. I wished Edward could've been there, I'm sure in the few seconds it took me to explain, Jess had come up with a great number of strange theories to justify Renesmee's existence.

"Edward's biological brother passed away. The authorities tracked us down and we adopted her last fall."

"Wow! That's... wow!" That seemed to be the only coherent word she could muster. I was presenting her with the biggest piece of gossip she'd heard in months. "But you two are so young! I mean you're nineteen! What happened to college?"

"Oh we're going to college!" I lied quickly "It was just a matter of arranging schedules... We fell in love with her the second we first saw her. She's our whole life now."

Renesmee was showing me curiosity. She knew the cover story about her adoption already, but the college thing was new. She wondered what about this stranger had made me nervous enough to make that up on the spot. When she realized I couldn't answer her she turned around in my arms to see Jess for herself.

Jessica gasped and I understood her reaction perfectly. She didn't know me well enough to realize, the way Charlie had done, that Nessie's eyes were very similar to my own, but she could see her undeniable beauty.

While she struggled for words I heard Jacob's light footsteps approaching behind me. I looked back to see him. He was rounding the corner, an open bag of chips in his hands. He was looking down, reading something on the back of the bag. He stopped at the end of the isle. I realized that even though he could probably hear there was someone close to us he couldn't tell that someone was having a conversation with me.

"Bella, honey, I know I practically begged you to bring your Ferrari but I'm starting to think it might not have been such a good idea."

I could see Jessica's eyebrows rise almost all the way to her hairline at the word _honey_. Jake hadn't called me that in months. He picked a hell of a time to go back to his old habit. He carried on, still oblivious to Jess's inquisitive ear. "I mean the Ferrari is incredible but with the amount of food we're buying I think we might have to call Edward and have him bring the Volvo. I guess it was a pretty stupid idea, bringing your tiny car to the grocery store when we're buying food for a whole pack of..."

"Jake!" I interrupted. "You remember my friend Jessica?"

Jacob looked up, startled by my outburst. Renesmee showed me how confused she was by my stressful stance and Jessica's excited, hungry eyes. I was giving her enough fuel to keep the gossip going for months. Jake paled slightly at the sight of my old school friend.

"Oh yes of course! Jessica was it?"

"Hum... hi." Jess smiled. Renesmee showed me even more confusion at the awkwardness.

I had always been a terrible liar and was having a harder time than usual coming up with reasonable explanations when Nessie kept replaying every moment of the situation. I reached into my pocket and held out my cell phone "Jake, why don't you call Edward? Have him meet us at the cash registers." He closed the distance between us in two long strides, eager to get away from Jess's curious but appreciative eyes. "Here, take the baby." I added.

He reached for Nessie automatically and she practically jumped into his arms, hungry for some answers. I could read the worry in Jake's eyes and I shook my head infinitesimally to show him I could handle the situation on my own.

"Come on Ness, I think I saw a book you might like." I could see Renesmee pressing her hand firmly against his neck as they rounded the corner. With a sigh, I turned back to meet my friend's inquisitive stare.

"Well erm... Wow Bella! Your life has surely changed since I last saw you!"

"Yeah! And it's definitely been for the best. We're a happy little family now." I smiled.

"You look so different though..." She frowned.

"That's what love does to you, I hear." I mentally slapped myself at my stupid explanation. Jessica frowned but didn't comment on my appearance anymore. Let her form her own conclusions. Knowing her she probably thought Carlisle experimented new plastic surgery technology on all of his adopted kids.

"Well how long are you in town for?" She clapped her hands excitedly.

"Oh just tonight! We really have to get back." I lied quickly before she could come up with any activity that would involve me meeting any more people from my past life.

"Oh well that sucks! I wanted to have a girls night out or something! Well are you staying at the Cullens'? I could go visit you tonight!"

"No!" I answered with a little too much force. The idea of Jessica being anywhere near that many vampires and werewolves had me shaking in my socks. "I mean... no, we're not staying at the Cullens, we're staying with my dad. We hardly ever get to see him anymore so..."

"Oh well then I'll go over tonight and we can talk a little before you go away again! Losing touch is so awful! I mean, look at everything that's changed in your life and no one knew!"

"Ah well actually Jess... Edward and I have a small family thing this afternoon..."

"That's perfect! I'm going to Port Angeles with my mom but I'll be back by ten and I'll stop by your dad's then okay?"

I could see that every time I tried to refuse her she became even more curious and suspicious so with a great sigh I finally agreed. "That would be great Jess. I'll see you tonight okay? I really need to get going now though; Edward is probably waiting for me. You know how he drives."

"I'll walk you to the registers, come on." She linked her arm with mine and I stiffened for a second. I thanked the heavens for the fluffy sweater I was wearing. She couldn't feel the coldness of my skin.

When she saw Edward she released me. She seemed a little disappointed. I could see murder in Edward's eyes and I rushed over to him quickly. I'd had to ask about that later. He was holding Nessie to him with one arm but he tangled his free hand in my hair and pulled me in for a deep kiss. Jacob was already pushing a cart full of groceries to the exit.

"Hello Jessica." He greeted her evenly. "Bella, love, Esme is waiting. We need to get this things home now."

"Okay." I agreed quickly. He handed me Renesmee so he could pay for the things in my shopping cart. "Well, I guess we'll see you later." I forced a smile for Jessica and she nodded.

"Most definitely!" She assured me with a smile of her own.

I suppressed a groan as my mind ran through the possible consequences of our little encounter.

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_A/N: This will be a small story, just a couple of more chapters. As always, I'm sorry for any spelling or grammar mistakes. English is my second language. If you notice a mistake that I keep repeating please tell me so I can fix it._


	2. Company

**Close encounters of the supermarket kind**

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**- COMPANY -  
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Jake took Renesmee in the Ferrari and I rode with Edward. He was quiet while he pulled out of the parking lot. I knew we had only a couple of minutes alone before we reached the house. I couldn't be sure, but he seemed distant, maybe even mad.

"Edward?" I asked him.

"You wouldn't believe the stories that crossed that girl's mind." He answered me between clenched teeth. "I never should've let you come into town like that... it was very stupid of me. I should have known better. You look so different now. People were bound to speculate. But to run into Jessica of all people! I thought your knack for attracting trouble had died along with your human self..."

"Edward, calm down. I _wanted _to come here remember? Renesmee was going stir crazy in the house! I wanted to bring her here." I stroked his cheek and his jaw relaxed almost immediately.

"Please Edward, please don't stress over this. We've had the craziest months of our lives and now we finally have some time to relax! A little run in with an old high school friend is not going to ruin this for us. Besides, I'm sure whatever she was thinking had nothing to do with vampires, am I right?"

Edward sighed and rested one of his hands on my knee. "You're right, her thoughts were actually worse."

I raised an eyebrow "What _was_ she thinking? I couldn't really read her."

Edward groaned "From what I could catch, at first she thought you were cheating on me with Jake. She's going to ask you about him if she gets the chance tonight." His hand on my thigh contracted ever so slightly. Jealousy washed over his features and I covered his fingers with my own. He took my hand gratefully. I could only imagine what mental pictures Jessica had unknowingly thrown his way.

"When she realized you weren't hiding from me she thought maybe we were into threesomes. She could picture the whole thing too. That girl has a great imagination for scandal." Edward shuddered and I suppressed the urge to laugh at his discomfort.

"What about my appearance?" I distracted him quickly. Edward actually laughed then.

"She thought of practically everything except the truth. From crazy-plastic-surgery-cult to alien abduction. Who on earth told her that being abducted by aliens makes you gorgeous?"

I laughed along with him but he sobered up suddenly. "I never told you this." He lowered his gaze to his hands "But when we were in high school Jessica was always so overcome by her jealousy towards you that she insisted on cataloging your appearance as 'average'." Edward sounded angry, livid even, at the mere idea of someone thinking of me as less than perfect. I rolled my eyes but deep down I understood what he meant. I remembered how it'd angered me when Jacob said negative things about Edward. Love _could_ be irrational.

"Jessica was jealous of me?" I frowned. I'd always known she'd had feelings for Edward in the past but I thought it had been a simple crush, something she'd gotten over quickly.

Edward nodded. "The first time I ever felt the need to protect you, it was from her. You had everything she'd ever wanted. You still do, Bella. You have everything she wants and everything she never thought to even dream about. Her desires are childish, thought. She covets that which we care less about. She wants the money, the handsome husband, the Ivy League school."

Edward was right. Those were the things in my life that I would give up in a heartbeat. All I wanted was the love of my husband, the happiness of my child and the safety of our family.

"Then came the thoughts about Renesmee. According to Jessica, she is the _flaw_ in our perfect lives." Edward spat out the word _flaw_ like a curse. Anger boiled under my skin. Edward went on without pause. "She looks like a two year old, maybe a little older so Jessica wondered if you'd had her before you came to Forks and if that was the reason why you left Phoenix in the first place. But then she realized the baby looks a lot like me, so she had to debunk that theory. It actually bothered her that your feelings towards Nessie seemed so sincere."

Edward parked the car but we didn't get out. Jacob pulled up next to us and lifted Renesmee in his arms, taking her inside before coming back to help us with the bags.

"So Jess believes Renesmee's story?"

"Yes. She's still curious about why we kept her when we're just starting college and all." He gave me a look that was clearly a question. He wanted to know why I'd told Jess that we were attending Dartmouth.

I sighed "I know it was stupid to tell her we were still going to college."

"You could've told her we'd decided to put college off for a while. She would have believed you. It would have made more sense to her." Edward wasn't scolding me for being a bad liar, I could tell he really wanted to know what I'd been thinking at the time. I sighed again.

"That's just it though. I didn't want her to think we'd given anything up for Renesmee. I didn't want her gossip to be 'Edward and Bella are ruining their lives because they adopted a kid'. She's not a mother, she wouldn't understand how giving anything up for our child is not something we have to do, but something we _want_ to do! I just couldn't stand the idea of her thinking anything negative of our baby girl."

Edward stared at me for the longest time, his eyes locked with mine, and then he threw himself at me. He kissed me with a passion usually reserved for our nights together. Without thinking he pulled me into his lap, pushing the seat backwards and twisting me so I could straddle him. I pulled myself closer to him and he pressed into me, causing me to bump against the steering wheel. The car honked, startling us both, but we didn't break our kiss.

A light tap on the window made me jump backwards, hitting the steering wheel again. Emmett was staring at us, a mischievous grin on his lips. "I didn't mean to interrupt you two lovebirds. If you'd just pop the trunk so I can get the food out I'll get out of your hair. I just need to get the sodas before you shake them so much we'll have to put on raincoats before opening them."

I hid my face on Edward's neck while he opened the trunk. Emmett laughed all the way back to the house. My husband rubbed my back and whispered regretfully in my ear. "We better get going if we're going to make it back to your father's by ten."

I groaned and reached for my cell phone. I had to let my father know we'd be having a sleepover at his place.

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We thought about just staying at Charlie's until Jessica left and then driving back home, but it would all depend on how long it took us to get rid of her. Charlie was thrilled to have us and he insisted on getting my old crib out of storage for Nessie. We didn't want to move her in the middle of the night, so we agreed to stay if she fell asleep before Jess left. Charlie grinned all through dinner. The prospect of having his daughter back in his house for a night seemed to cheer him up immensely.

Alice decorated the back yard with small torches and Esme bought a huge grill just for the occasion. Vampires and wolves alike laughed and chatted lightly while the latter consumed enough food to sustain a small army. Esme and Carlisle, who had helped her with dinner, received the highest compliments.

When everyone had eaten enough, Carlisle organized a friendly game of badminton. That was fun because it was the one sport in which super human strength made things harder instead of easier. Emmett kept getting overexcited and hitting the bird too hard and then all the players would have to wait forever for it to come back down.

Edward teased me about the last time I'd played badminton. He told Emmett the story of how I'd managed to harm two people in one swing which had him laughing so hard I had to join the game just to erase the silly smile off my brother's face. Alice was delighted. With all the wolves around she had no way of using her abilities to play. Seth had already challenged her to a chess match and they'd agreed to meet the next afternoon. Jasper and Edward, the only two with tactical advantages, were not allowed to play, so they sat on the sidelines of the improvised court and cheered us on.

Jake was chasing Renesmee around the yard holding a bag of chips. He kept telling her he'd make her try them if he caught her, which only made her run faster. By nine thirty Claire had fallen asleep on Quil's lap and he seemed ready to doze off himself. Esme and Sue were deep in conversation. Even though Sue never seemed truly comfortable around us, Esme was just the easiest person to like, alive or otherwise. Even Leah's mom couldn't deny that.

Charlie and Carlisle were having a heated discussion about baseball when I reminded them of the time. No one in our family had been particularly happy with my blast from the past, but Alice couldn't see any trouble ahead which calmed us all down.

Rosalie went to get Renesmee ready for bed while Charlie, Edward and I said our goodbyes. Alice walked me to the main house so I could change my contacts and get the overnight bag she'd packed for us.

"I think you should change into this." She handed me a bundle of clothes once she had me locked in her bathroom.

"Why?" I looked down at myself. Jeans and a tan sweater. I looked just fine for hanging around my father's house.

"I can't be sure, because Nessie is going with you, but I think Jessica might have asked some other people to go with her."

I groaned. That would complicate things but it still didn't explain the outfit. I held up the clothes. Alice had handed me a too-short denim skirt, a blue sweater that showed a lot more cleavage than I usually did, knee high brown boots and accessories to match.

"It will be easier for others to accept the changes in your appearance if you look completely different. If you show up wearing the same old outfits you used to, there will be nothing to take the attention away from your new face." Alice sat me down on the counter and called out for Rosalie, who showed up immediately to help her curl a few strands of my hair while she covered the purple shadows under my eyes with makeup and added a little blush to my cheeks.

It took them only a couple of minutes but I had to admit, I looked a lot different with the new outfit.

"Try not to touch your face too much. Applying makeup to stone is not as easy as you might think. If anything goes wrong call us, I don't know how much I'll be able to see. And let us know when she's gone. I want advance warning if I need to spend my night packing." Alice shoved me gently towards the door.

Rosalie laughed. "Alice, cool it. You're scaring her." She wrapped an arm around my shoulder and walked me down the stairs. "You'll do fine, Bella. Just remember to breathe as little as possible, fidget every once in a while and change your contacts if you have to. Renesmee is ready for bed. I packed a thermos for her in case she gets hungry. Drop it in the fridge when you get there." Then, dropping her voice to a whisper so Charlie couldn't hear us, she added; "The thermos has a false top. If Charlie opens it all he'll see is baby formula. Twist it from the bottom to get the blood."

"Thank you Rosalie." My voice was saturated with gratitude. Our family was excellent at covering all the bases.

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Nessie wanted to ride with grandpa, so Edward and I got to talk a little more on our way to Charlie's.

"That was fun!" I smiled, taking Edward's hand.

"Yes, it really was. I'm glad Sam agreed to it." When Jacob told everyone about the barbecue, the oldest wolf had been a little reluctant. It'd taken a lot of convincing, but he'd finally agreed. He and Emily had kept to themselves, but at least they'd been there.

I rested my head against Edward's shoulder while he drove. I could feel the muscles of his chest contract when he shifted gears. His chest got me thinking about his perfect abdomen, his cute little navel, his...

I groaned and he looked down, his brow furrowed. "What's wrong?" He asked.

"You do realize we're staying in the same room as our daughter tonight? Which means we'll have to behave ourselves."

Edward chuckled and kissed the top of my head. "We could always sneak out for a few hours."

"But what if Charlie wakes up and we're not there?"

"Bella, your father spent months sleeping peacefully in his room while your boyfriend snuck into yours every night. If we managed to get away with that while you were still human, I'm sure we can do this now. Besides, with the outfit you're wearing tonight, I'm doubtful I'll be able to keep my hands to myself for long."

I laughed and silently thanked Alice. Being her full sized doll from time to time _did_ have it's advantages after all.

We pulled into the driveway behind my father's car. Edward grabbed our bag and I took Renesmee up to my old room to tuck her in. The room looked exactly the same as I'd left it except for the simple wooden crib that now sat where my desk had been. I was carrying Nessie but she wasn't asleep yet so I sat down on the rocking chair with her in my arms. Edward knelt down next to us while I rocked our baby. He hummed her lullaby until her eyes closed.

I heard my dad's heavy footsteps coming from the laundry room. He walked into the bedroom with an armful of clean blankets but stopped dead on his tracks when he saw the three of us. His eyes filled with tears so fast he almost dropped the blankets in his haste to leave the room. A few minutes later I heard the click of a camera. Charlie was trying to be inconspicuous while he took pictures of us, so neither Edward nor I looked up.

When the doorbell rang, Charlie went to answer it. I heard the conversation downstairs while Edward took the sleeping baby from my arms and placed her in the crib.

"Hi Jess! Long time no see! Angela, honey! We weren't expecting you too!" I heard my father's voice as clearly as if he were standing next to me.

"Hi Chief Swan! I ran into her downtown and I told her I'd seen Bella. She wanted to come say hi. We told a few of our friends who haven't gone back to school yet, I hope that's alright? Is Bella here?" Jess's voice seemed to carry a lot more than Charlie's.

"Yeah, she and Edward are just putting the baby to sleep. They'll be down in a minute."

Edward groaned "Newton is coming." He muttered and I gasped. "Jess told Mike?" I asked in disbelief.

"Actually, no. They had a bad breakup just a couple of months after our wedding. But today Mike overheard her calling Lauren - who has thankfully gone back to school so she won't be here- and he invited himself over. "

Just then the doorbell rang again and Mike's booming voice came from downstairs. Edward and I rushed down the stairs to ask them all to lower their voices before they woke up the baby. I jumped down the last couple of steps and wheeled around to look at our old friends.

Angela and Mike couldn't stifle the gasp that escaped their lips when they finally saw me. Angela looked happy to see me. Mike ran his gaze all over my body. I heard Edward's low growl behind me and I reached for his hand. With great effort I opened my mind to him and asked him to please stay calm. My thoughts in his head soothed him enough to stop the open hostility at our guests but there was really nothing I could do about the looks he was giving Mike.

It was going to be one hell of a night.

"Bella? Wow... I can't believe it!" Wow seemed to be the word of the day. Mike made a move as if to hug me but one glance in Edward's direction had him reeling back. Something told me I didn't want to know what he was thinking just then.

Angela was staring at me as well, the same awed look in her face, only with her I didn't feel the urge to run away and hide, the way I did with the others. She was having a hard time understanding what she was seeing, but there was no hunger for gossip in her eyes, no fear or jealousy.

"Hi guys!" I smiled softly, keeping my teeth hidden behind my full lips. Angela relaxed visibly at the sound of my voice, even though it sounded a lot smoother than the last time she'd heard it. She grinned back at me and took a tentative step forward. I took a deep breath, ignoring the blazing fire in my throat, and opened my arms to her. I hugged her carefully, minding every movement of my body.

"Bella! I'm so happy to see you! I've missed you so much." Angela whispered excitedly.

"Why are you whispering?" Mike's loud voice reminded me of why we'd rushed down the stairs in the first place.

"I thought the baby might be asleep." Angela answered him, shrugging her shoulders.

Mike seemed to choke on her response. "Baby? What baby?" He managed to ask. I risked a quick glance at Jessica. Her gloating smile told me everything I needed to know. She hadn't told Mike the whole story.

"Erm... I'll go make some coffee for you kids." Charlie, the one who could always be relied upon to shy away from uncomfortable conversations, practically ran to the kitchen.

Angela was confused. "Jess said you guys adopted Edward's niece." She frowned.

"We did. And she _is_ asleep. We don't need to whisper, she sleeps like a log, but if we could keep it down, that would be great." Edward's deep voice matched my own. I hoped no one noticed just how much the similarities between us had increased in the past months.

"Oh Bella! You're a mom now! How does that feel?" Angela took my hand excitedly. She didn't shy away from the cold the way normal people usually did. Maybe it had something to do with all the time she'd spent with Alice and Edward before we graduated.

"Well you should know! You've practically raised the twins!" I joked and she laughed with me.

"In that case, I imagine you're going through very little sleep and a lot of baby wipes."

I laughed again as I pulled her towards the couch. Edward sat on my other side and Jess took the chair. Mike made himself comfortable on the floor.

"Actually, we've never had sleep issues with her. Renesmee always sleeps through the night." I smiled at the only dad in the world who didn't need sleep, remembering that first night after my transformation. Thank God for sleeping babies.

"Renesmee? That's an unusual name. Jess couldn't remember it right." Angela mentioned.

Jessica blushed scarlet "Well, it's a very hard name to remember." She defended herself.

I smiled to let her off the hook. "Yeah I know. Renesmee Carlie Cullen. It's a combination of our parents' names." I grinned at Edward but Angela frowned.

"But didn't the baby already have a name when you got her? How old is she?"

I froze. Panicking at my stupid mistake turned me to unresponsive stone on the spot. I couldn't think of anything to say but Edward squeezed my hand and answered without pause.

"She's two years old, but she spent quite a while in foster homes. My biological brother and I parted ways a long time ago. It took some time for child services to find us. They were calling her Vanessa, Nessie for short, but my brother never had the chance to register her. We wanted her name to be a little more personal, something that would tie her to our whole family. So, Renesmee it is."

"Oh god, well she's lucky to have you. I'm sure you are wonderful parents!" Angela smiled in encouragement.

I would have missed Jessica's quiet snort if not for my vampire hearing. Edward's hand tightened around my own again.

"So, Nessie eh?" Mike tried to join the conversation, although I could tell he was still too shocked to say much. I groaned at the use of the nickname. It was slowly growing on me, but it still bothered me how no one seemed to call Renesmee by her full name except for Edward and I.

Charlie walked into the room then, holding mismatched cups in his arms. Edward jumped up to help him just as one of the cups slipped from his grasp. My husband managed to save all the cups and went into the kitchen to help Charlie with the coffee and the sugar.

As soon as he was gone I felt Mike's stare. Apparently he wasn't all that comfortable ogling me in front of my husband. I crossed my legs and turned back to Angela, but Mike demanded my attention immediately.

"So, Bella, how's married life treating you?" He managed to sound hopeful. I sighed in disbelief.

"It's incredible. I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. We are just blissfully happy." I answered truthfully and could see the disappointment in Jess's eyes at my sincereness. When had that girl become so determined to find flaws in my life? Maybe it had always been that way, maybe I'd just been too blind or too human to notice.

Edward got back in record time. He placed the milk and sugar next to the pot of coffee and took his place next to me. He covered my knee with his hand and squeezed it gently, a gesture that didn't go unnoticed by Mike. I had to concentrate hard on not rolling my eyes.

"Well I think I'll go to bed now. Good night kids! Bella, remember to lock up before going to bed. Edward, there's extra toothpaste in the bathroom cabinet." Even thought we'd been married for half a year now and even though we had a daughter together and had been living in our own house since September, I could see how much effort it took for Charlie to acknowledge the fact that Edward would be spending the night with his daughter, in her old bed, in his very own house. It meant a lot for him to even try. I'd have to find a way to thank him in the morning.

All of a sudden, Edward stiffened. Before I could ask him about it he smiled. "I think the baby is up."

"Mommy?" Renesmee's baby voice had me standing in a second.

"No, sit! Talk! I'll go get her." Edward kissed my forehead and rushed up the stairs, leaving me alone with my three high school friends.

"So, Bella..." Jessica wasted no time. "Was that Jacob Black that I saw with you at the store?"

"The kid from La Push?" Mike's head snapped up.

"Yeah, he's still my best friend." I answered as truthfully as I could. I didn't feel comfortable telling lies without Edward sitting next to me to fix my mistakes.

"But I thought..." Mike trailed off.

"You thought what?" Jessica egged him on.

"Nothing, it's silly. I just... I thought he had the hots for you." Mike finished with a sheepish expression.

"Actually, so did I! Didn't he get into a fight with Edward over you? And on school grounds no less." Jessica was grinning now, her face alive with the hunger for information.

"No! I mean... they didn't actually fight. It never came to blows... That was a long time ago anyway." I almost stuttered.

"It was eight months ago." Jess pointed out.

That broke all of my defenses and all I could think to say was "Really?" My confusion was sincere. I couldn't believe only months had passed since that day in school when Jake had shown up with his bike.

"Bella, you're avoiding the question! How did you get Edward to let you hang with him? Isn't he like crazy jealous?" Jess dropped her voice to a loud whisper. What was I supposed to say? 'Well gosh, Jess. It was very simple. All Jacob had to do was fall in love with our daughter!'.

"No, they get along great now actually." I decided to be truthful once again.

Jessica looked disappointed, but she wouldn't let the matter drop so easily. "Well that kid is hot. Huge for his age too. Did you ever..." She raised her eyebrows at me suggestively.

"Jess!" Angela sounded mortified. Mike suddenly found my father's carpet very interesting.

"What do you mean?" I was appalled. My husband was right upstairs! How could she be asking me about another guy?

"Well did anything ever happen between you two?" She was leaning forward on her chair. If she got any closer to the edge she would have fallen off her seat.

"No!" I responded quickly. Edward knew of my history with Jake but it was still uncomfortable talking about it here, in my father's house, with an old friend, when I knew he could hear me.

"Come on! Not even a kiss?" Jess practically hissed at me.

"Well... it was... I mean..." I was stuck. Apparently my ability to lie had not been enhanced with my transformation.

"Ha! I knew it! How was it? Is he good? He looks good... so mature for his age. Are you still..."

"No, Jessica." I stopped her cold. "Jacob is my best friend. We love each other very much. He's as much a part of my family as Charlie and Alice are. We got confused, sidetracked, for a little while. But now we know exactly who we are to each other. He's a brother to me." My words were so sincere, even Jessica couldn't doubt them.

Thankfully, Edward chose that exact moment to walk down the stairs with Renesmee in his arms. She was wearing little pink pajamas with yellow buttons and her curls were all over the place. She looked like an angel.

Angela's breath caught in her throat the second she saw her. Nessie rubbed her eyes with her tiny fists and reached for me. I hugged her to my chest and turned to Edward.

"She remembered she hadn't said good night to Jacob. She refused to go back to sleep until we called him." He sat next to us and played with a strand of her hair.

"Oh. Well did you reach him?" I asked my baby. She nodded.

"Where is he staying tonight?" I asked Edward.

"At his dad's. He left the cell phone at Carlisle's though, so we had to call his house. I'm sure we woke Billy up." Edward shook his head. He could deny nothing to his child.

"Renesmee loves Jacob. He's an incredible baby sitter." Edward explained to the three perplexed teenagers in the room.

"He... babysits?" Jessica managed to choke out.

"Whenever we're in town. He loves kids and Nessie here is easy to love. Aren't you, gorgeous?" Edward touched her cheek and Renesmee hid her face in my hair, embarrassed by her father's compliments.

"He fell in love with her the moment he laid eyes on her." I added. Edward repressed a laugh. I was telling nothing but the truth.

I took a moment to look around the room. Angela was smiling widely. She reached out to touch one of Renesmee's curls. Nessie turned around to face her, smiling shyly. Jessica seemed surprised, like she hadn't truly believed just how happy the three of us were until she saw us all together. Edward had an arm around me and his free hand rested on our baby's back, rubbing soothing circles. I kissed the top of my child's head. My eyes could reflect nothing but love for this wonderful creature. This confused Jessica, but she kept quiet.

The reaction I couldn't read was Mike's. He too was staring at us, his mouth slightly open in awe. I couldn't tell if he was looking at me or at Renesmee but then he spoke and answered my question.

"Bella can I... may I hold her?" He never took his eyes off her while he asked. I turned to Edward for some kind of insight but he just gave me a slight nod. Whatever Mike was thinking, it wasn't bad or harmful. I'd make Edward explain later.

"Honey, would you like to meet our friends?" I asked Nessie. She glanced quickly around the room and debated between leaving the comfort of my arms and making new acquaintances, which she loved. Finally she nodded and climbed down my lap. Edward reached out to touch her temple, silently reminding her not to use her gift. Renesmee gave him a tiny nod and then walked slowly around the coffee table towards Mike.

She stood in front of him and smiled "Hi." She greeted him.

"Hi Renesmee. Hey, look at what I have here." He reached into his pocket and came up with a lipsmacker, chocolate mint flavored. It was probably his sisters but he handed it to Nessie anyway right after he glanced at me for permission. I nodded in encouragement.

Renesmee took the lip balm and frowned. Mike removed the cap for her. "You use it on your lips, like this." He reached for her new toy and applied a little balm to her lips. Renesmee licked her lips and frowned, whipping her mouth with the back of her hand. I would have to add chocolate mint to the list of flavors she didn't like.

Mike laughed and was moved as if to take the tube back but Renesmee shook her head, taking it from him and climbing into his lap. He smiled delightedly and pursed his lips while she tried to smear the lipsmacker on him. Edward laughed wholeheartedly. For Mike it looked like she was playing with him, but to me it seemed like Renesmee was looking for payback.

We were all laughing by the time she was done with him. Well, all of us but Jess, who seemed displeased for some reason. Renesmee noticed and she walked over to Jessica, offering her the lip balm.

"No, thank you." Jessica shook her head. Nessie frowned and stretched her arms out, she wasn't taking no for an answer.

"I think she wants you to pick her up." Angela pointed out. Jessica made a face but she lifted Nessie and sat her down on her lap. Renesmee reached up and held Jessica's face steady with one tiny hand while she applied the lip balm perfectly to her pouting lips.

"Wow, that was... really good. I bet you're good at coloring." I could see whatever barrier Jessica had put up against my child slowly cracking.

Renesmee smiled, she could tell she was winning the battle. "I am! Grandpa has my drawings on his fridge." She made a move as if to go get them but Edward stopped her.

"We'll get them later honey. Aren't you tired?" I remembered then that Renesmee's drawings were way too advanced for a two year old.

Nessie shook her head but she couldn't suppress the yawn that overtook her. Edward laughed and gestured for her to walk over to him. She climbed down Jessica's lap and reached for Edward, who cradled her to his chest.

"I'm hungry." She said out loud for the benefit of our guests.

"I'll get you something to drink, how's that?" Edward handed her to me and stood up.

"There is a thermos in the fridge for her and her sippy cup is on the counter." I instructed him.

Mike, who seemed to reverse to his old mumbling teenage self once the novelty of Renesmee had passed, asked; "Oh, you're not breastfeeding?"

All of us girls rolled our eyes at him. Edward looked like he wanted to rip his blond head off. Mike turned beet red. I knew he'd meant it as a joke, but it looked to me like he'd just realized he'd made a boob joke in front of my husband and child. Once again he became fascinated by the old tan carpet.

I could hear Edward in the kitchen. I could smell the blood when he poured it into the cup and held my breath. Human blood, Rosalie was spoiling her niece. I knew I wouldn't be able to breathe again until Renesmee finished her snack so I hoped with all my might that the conversation would stall.

Lucky for me, Angela asked Mike a question about college, which got the ball rolling. Soon our three guests were comparing stories about dorms and classmates. Mike asked Angela about Ben and she blushed, gushing about him happily. Edward walked back into the room but just as he was about to hand Nessie the cup, his cell phone rang.

"Ah I left the phone upstairs." He placed the cup on the table and ran to the stairs. Renesmee, impatient as always, climbed down from my lap to get her meal.

"Hey Nessie! Wanna see a cool trick?" Mike grabbed the edge of the tablecloth and pulled as if to remove it from the table without dropping the things on top.

Several things happened at once. Edward froze on his way up the stairs and turned around. Renesmee turned to face Mike without taking her cup and I realized what was about to happen.

To my vampire senses it happened in slow motion. I only knew that I couldn't reach out and grab the cup before it fell, because it was too far away and the movement would've given me away.

I watched as Mike pulled the tablecloth. I watched as Renesmee's silver sippy cup dropped down to the carpet. I watched it crash open. I watched it spill its red contents on my father's carpet.

And then, I could watch no more. All I could do was feel the hunger burning me, twisting my insides. I could feel the fire in my throat and the overwhelming desire to feed. I could feel that I was sitting in a room full of fragrant, warm blooded bodies.

I could feel nothing but myself, giving into the monster within.

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_Well that was chapter two. One more chapter to go! I hope you liked this one ;) I'm in the middle of my thesis so I really REALLY shouldn't be writing fanfiction but what can I say? Inspiration waits for no gal. I'll try to have the next chapter up sometime next week!  
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	3. Life Lessons

**Close Encounters of the Supermarket Kind**

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**- LIFE LESSONS -**

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_I watched as Mike pulled the tablecloth. I watched as Renesmee's silver sippy cup dropped down to the carpet. I watched it crash open. I watched it spill its red contents on my father's carpet._

_And then, I could watch no more. All I could do was feel the hunger burning inside of me, twisting my insides. I could feel the fire in my throat and the burning desire to feed. I could feel that I was sitting in a room full of wonderful, warm blood._

_I could feel nothing but myself, giving into the monster within._

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Through the red haze that covered my eyes I could hear a faint voice calling my name.

"Bella! Bella!" Strong arms wrapped themselves around my waist. The predator in me wondered why, since the instinctual thing to do would've been to restrain me by the chest.

I turned to face my captor, my eyes burning with primeval hunger. The look in Edward's face froze me for a moment. He was paler than usual, his red lips pursed and his stare intense as if he were trying to convey the most important of messages to me with his eyes.

A moment was all I needed to regain myself. I remembered where I was, who I was with and in a moment of true terror I glanced down to look for my daughter. She was fine and safe just a few feet away from me.

I stopped breathing instantly. The hunger in my eyes transformed into panic as I locked them with Edward's.

"Bella, honey it's okay. We'll get the stain out. Why don't you go into the kitchen and get some cleaning supplies? I'll be right with you." He walked me all the way to the kitchen. Once we were far away enough for him to whisper he quickly said "Go outside, get some air. I'll take care of this I promise." He kissed me quickly and pushed me gently in the direction of the back door. Covering my mouth and nose with my hand I ran out.

I gratefully gulped down some fresh air. Outside all I could smell was wet grass and asphalt. I leaned against the wall and closed my eyes. It hadn't been the smell itself what had thrown me off. I'd been in the same room with my feeding daughter too many times for it to turn me into a beast like it had today. It was the suddenness of it, combined with the amount and the very edible smelling group surrounding me.

I listened hard while Edward walked back into the living room. Only a fraction of a second had elapsed since my escape. "Angela, would you mind taking Renesmee upstairs? Her crib is in Bella's old room."

"Erm sure but... is she okay?" Angela's concerned voice only made me feel worse. She had no idea of how close she'd come to becoming my late night snack.

"She's fine. It's just that this thing stains terribly and she loves this house so much. Her mom and dad lived here since before she was born and this is the original carpet. I'm sure we can clean it up though."

"Oh, well maybe some club soda will help. Come here Nessie, let me take you to bed."

Renesmee must've made some sort of face because the next thing I heard was Edward's low voice trying to comfort her. "It's okay sweetie. Go with Angela. I'll get you another cup in a second okay? Wait for me upstairs." Edward's whisper sounded so urgent. With a gasp I realized he wanted to get our baby away from the possible crime scene as soon as possible just in case I lost control. He probably would've taken her himself but I figured he was worried about leaving me alone so close to our guests even for a minute.

Even though I knew I had my thirst under control I was still grateful when I heard Angela's footsteps going up the stairs. Edward darted back into the kitchen, opening and closing cabinets until he found what he needed.

"What kind of stuff is that anyway? Cranberry juice?" Jess sounded a little shaken up. I knew the stain was way too thick for cranberry juice and so did Edward.

"No, it's milk and some cherry flavored soluble proteins. The pediatrician recommended them for us since we don't know what they were feeding Nessie while she was in foster care." Edward's lie sounded perfectly convincing. I was once again mesmerized at how quickly he managed to come up with believable stories.

I could hear him scrubbing the carpet furiously. "Hey man, want some help?" Mike offered. "No, it's fine really. I'm sure it'll come out soon." I sniffed again to identify what Edward was using to clean the carpet. It smelled like dish soap. I rolled my eyes and, taking a deep breath, walked back into the house.

I saw Edward glance up when I rushed over to the laundry room. I grabbed a large white bottle and strode back into the living room with a determined look on my face. I unscrewed the bottle, much to everyone's horror, and poured a healthy amount of bleach on the largest stain.

"Bella! The carpet is beige! You'll stain it white!" Jessica sounded horrified.

"Actually, the carpet was originally white. It just looks brown because it has twenty years worth of dirt on it. We'll have it properly cleaned tomorrow." I glanced at Edward and he nodded in relief. The burning smell of the bleach had washed away all traces of the blood. Inhaling tentatively I realized I could breathe again. Edward grinned at me and got up to wrap his arms around my waist.

Angela walked down the stairs then. "Nessie is in her crib. She looks a little scared though." She turned to me and gave me an encouraging smile "I'm sorry about the carpet Bella."

"No, I'm sorry. It's my fault really. That trick usually works." Mike seemed truly repentant. He stood up quickly and Jessica followed suit.

"It's getting late. I think we should let you get back to your baby." Jess gave me a small smile, which I returned gratefully. I wanted nothing more than to be alone with my little family.

Angela gave me a quick hug and wrote down her email on a piece of paper for me, making me promise to keep in touch, before saying goodbye to Edward. Mike and Jess waved at us from the driveway without coming too close and I realized their instincts were probably yelling at them to leave.

Once we were alone again I collapsed against Edward's chest. He ran his hands through my hair, rubbing my back in the process. "You should go up to Renesmee, she's really worried. I'll finish cleaning up here and then I'll bring her another cup. Can you handle me feeding her or would you like to wait downstairs?"

I shook my head "I'm perfectly fine now. I'm so sorry about my outburst. The whole thing just took me by surprise."

Edward let out a choked laugh "Bella, you're not even a year old! That was human blood there! Exposed human blood! I am so indescribably proud of you."

I shook my head against his chest. "That was so dangerous." "Yes it was, and I'm sorry. That was my fault entirely. I never should've fed Renesmee in front of your friends. I should account for things like this."

I looked up at him, trying to seem as exasperated as possible "You will not find a way to torture yourself over this one. It's my lack of control that put us all in danger. You resisted the blood without so much as a twitch."

"Oh well I'm an expert at resisting temptation. I had over a year of the best practice imaginable." He nuzzled my hair pointedly and I laughed. Renesmee's impatient sigh reminded me of Angela's warning and I quickly darted up the stairs. As I ran I could hear Edward calling Alice from the kitchen to let her know we'd all survived in one piece.

While I cradled my baby to my chest I played back the near catastrophe in my head and thanked my lucky star for the freaky self control I'd been given.

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Edward joined me a few minutes later. Renesmee drank down her whole cup before going back to sleep. Reaching into the overnight bag I realized that Alice hadn't packed anything for me to "sleep" in. I found a pair of plaid flannel pajamas for Edward and a change of clothes for the next day but nothing else. We needed to change in case we ran into Charlie during the night.

Edward saw my frown and reached into the bag. I was about to look around for some leftover sweats when Edward produced a short sleeved white undershirt for himself. Smiling, he tossed me the shirt of his ensemble. "I think she meant for us to share these."

"Why?" I asked as I undressed quickly. I pulled the shirt on without bothering to unbutton it. The sleeves were way too long and it barely came down to the middle of my thighs. I heard Edward groan and I looked up to meet his eyes. The way they shone with need surprised me. He was already wearing the flannel pants and nothing else.

"To torture me apparently. When else would I ever get to see you in that?" He growled and pulled me down next to him on the bed. I laughed quietly while he ravished my neck with kisses. My laughing wound down and his attack slowed, rolling us to our sides so we could face each other in the small bed.

With our noses almost touching I ran my hands up and down his bare chest.

"So?" I asked him.

"So what?" He frowned.

"How did we do tonight?"

He understood what I was asking and he smiled. "The night had its ups and downs. I could've killed Newton for the images that flashed through his head."

I laughed again. "He couldn't stop staring at Renesmee though, what was that about?"

Edward's eyes became unbearably compassionate then. "Mike's mom had a miscarriage almost three years ago. She wasn't that far along so no one in town knows. It devastated his whole family. Things got pretty rough for them for a while. His sister would've been around Nessie's age if she had survived."

My mouth formed a small oh at the awfulness. Even though my pregnancy had been rocky at best I never for one second truly believed I'd lose my baby. I couldn't even conceive the idea of not having Renesmee, it hurt too much to even imagine.

"That's so sad." I whispered.

"It really is. His mother wanted that child very much."

I buried my face in Edward's chest and he embraced me tightly. "Jessica on the other hand was just about to burst with jealousy."

I groaned and rolled my eyes. "She can't possibly be that ill intentioned."

"It's not that. She has a rather boring and somewhat vindictive mind but her jealousy of you rests simply on her need to excel at something. She doesn't actually mean you any harm. She just wishes your life could be a little less perfect so she could feel better about her own." Edward kissed the top of my head but I frowned.

"I don't get it."

"It's quite simple. She's never been all that great at anything. Being a small town girl left her always wanting a big exciting life. She compares herself to other people too much. When you first came to Forks, she went from being just another girl to a shadow in your spotlight. Her happiest time in high school was last year when you were..." The pain in his voice alerted me of the memories he was trying to suppress.

"Not too social?" I offered. I felt Edward's smile against my hair. "You walked right out of the spotlight on your own accord, leaving it clear for her and Lauren who occupied it by talking behind your back." The venom in his voice made me pull back so I could look into his eyes. I touched his cheek to calm him down and he sighed with gratitude.

"Of course then we came home and you went back to being... well, you. The whole school went back to talking about us. In her book that made you the most popular girl in school once again, which is ridiculous because a lot of the rumors were pretty mean."

"They were?" I frowned. I'd never even noticed the whispers, probably because I was too preoccupied with noticing Edward.

He shook his head. Clearly those rumors were not something he wanted to talk about. He went on with his story instead. "She went back to being just Jessica. She really couldn't wait to get to college and start living an adventurous life. When she got accepted into college in California she figured that was that. We were going to Alaska then, she felt like she'd finally done better than you. And then you got accepted into Dartmouth"

"Something I had absolutely nothing to do with" I interrupted but he went on as if I hadn't spoken.

"And you surpassed her once again. To her it seemed like nothing se did could compete with your life. She got back together with her old boyfriend. You married yours. Mike gave her a pair of earrings after graduation. I gave you a car. She went camping during the summer, you got a honeymoon."

I shook my head. I couldn't believe she'd been comparing herself to me like that. The things she thought I had better were those I'd fought the most against.

"And then she finally got to college and nothing changed. She's less noticeable in a school with thousands of students than she ever was here in Forks. From what I could see she's doing pretty well in her classes and her roommate seems really nice but she doesn't see those things. Even so, she figured she'd come home on vacation to the tiny town of Forks and she'd be cooler, to use her words, because she is a college student. And then she ran into you."

I ran a hand through my hair and groaned. So many things about her were finally starting to make sense.

"And you're apparently not only going to college, but raising a beautiful daughter as well. She wanted to see us struggle, to feel like your life was finally going wrong so she could feel better about hers which she believes is merely going okay. She'd rather be an average college student than a nineteen year old divorced single mom."

I couldn't hold back the shudder at his words. I loved my daughter more than anything in the world but I couldn't imagine raising her without Edward.

"And then she saw us together and she realized that we're not only okay, but we're actually happier than we were when she last saw us."

I frowned "She thinks we look happier than on our wedding day?"

Edward let out a small chuckle. "Have you seen yourself lately Bella? You glow! You smile every second of every day. If our child so much as wiggles a finger you light up like a Christmas tree! And you know what? I do exactly the same thing." He framed my face with his strong hands and whispered, "I had never in my life felt happier, safer or more complete than I do right now. Jessica might not understand it but I always thought you did."

"Understand what?" I whispered back.

"Bella... you gave me a daughter. A daughter! A little person that we made together. Half of the woman that I love more than my own life and half of me. It's something I never even considered and now that we have her... I can't believe I ever lived without her. Much like I still can't believe I went through so many years without you."

I couldn't help myself then. I closed the distance between us and captured his lips with my own. He kissed me back passionately, pulling my body closer to his own and moaning gently against my lips. He broke the kiss with a gasp and I suddenly remembered where I was. I chuckled and he smiled back at me.

"Anyway, Renesmee is just too amazing to resist, even for Jessica. As much as she hated what Nessie represented that child is just unbearably adorable." I laughed quietly.

"She's won over harder crowds." I agreed with Edward.

"I think Jessica is finally starting to realize that her life is very different from yours. When she saw how worried you were over the spill she figured out that you have other things to stress over now, things she can't even see herself going through yet. Usually, raising a child is no picnic."

"It is for us." I pointed out.

"Yes, but Jess doesn't know that does she?" He winked at me and I laughed again.

"Angela was her old wonderful self. Her mind and Seth's are two I actually enjoy listening to. They're always so calm and honest."

I dropped my shield so he could hear my own mind. "Nothing like mine though, right?" I asked him without speaking. He laughed at me and shook his head. "No, nothing compares to yours. I place your mind in a whole different category." He ran his fingers from my temple to my collarbone seductively.

I laughed again and this time Renesmee turned around in her crib. She sat up and looked around sleepily.

"Nessie? Are you okay?" I asked her from the bed.

She nodded and raised her arms. "Can I sleep with you mommy?"

Edward gave me a smile "We will continue this later." He whispered before getting up to take Renesmee. Edward swaddled her in a blanket before placing her between our cold bodies. Our baby yawned and fell asleep almost instantly.

For the rest of the night Edward and I had whispered conversations while we rubbed Renesmee's back soothingly. Whenever our fingers touched I smiled, remembering a time when just the idea of touching Edward's hand had me hyperventilating. Less than a year ago in that very bed Edward had asked me to marry him for the first time. If someone had told me then that a few months later I'd be in the same bed with my husband and child I would've laughed myself silly.

And yet here I was, a married mother. And nothing could've made me happier.

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When the clouds started to lighten I sat up with a sigh. Edward frowned "What's wrong?" He whispered.

"I want to do something nice for Charlie, he's been a real sport lately. I thought I'd cook him breakfast but I've never cooked without my human senses. I hope it tastes alright."

Edward's brilliant smile lit up the tiny room. "You'll do fine. Cook something you remember well like eggs or pancakes. Or I can do it if you want. I've had plenty of practice cooking for you."

"No, I'll get it. You can stay with Renesmee, wait for her to wake up." I got out of bed and listened. Charlie was still snoring loudly in his room. I smiled back at Edward and whispered. "I'll be back in a minute."

I flew down the stairs and into the kitchen, yanking the ingredients for pancakes and eggs from the cupboards and the fridge. I mixed the batter with my vampire speed and cracked a couple of eggs on a frying pan. The cooking process however couldn't be rushed and I leaned against the counter while the pancakes browned slowly.

While I waited I heard Charlie's snores quiet until they became slightly uneven breaths, proof that he was awake. I heard his heavy footsteps, so unlike those of my new family, while he got dressed for the day. In the other room Renesmee woke up.

Edward's gentle greeting melted my heart. "Good morning beautiful. Did you sleep well?"

Nessie did not answer out loud. She never did when she was alone with Edward.

"She's downstairs making breakfast for Grandpa." He answered her unspoken question. "You can join him you know. Maybe have a little breakfast yourself."

Charlie's bare feet pounded down the stairs, breaking my concentration. I flipped the pancake into a plate and added a side of eggs. He walked into the kitchen looking scruffy but fully dressed. The moment he saw me his jaw dropped. He turned beet red and dropped his eyes to the floor.

"Hey Bells, what are you doing?" He still wouldn't look at me and this confused me. It wasn't until I glanced down at myself that I remembered my outfit. Edward's shirt didn't look all that indecent on me, it was pretty long, but I was still wearing less clothes than Charlie had seen me in for a long time. The fact that the shirt was obviously my husband wasn't helping matters either.

I mentally cursed Alice. I wasn't self-conscious of my body anymore, after all half of my family had already seen me naked during my pregnancy, so I hadn't even thought to change. It would've looked weird if I'd suddenly dashed upstairs to put some pants on so I tried to ignore Charlie's reaction. I went on as if I hadn't even noticed it.

"I'm making you breakfast. Here, eat before it gets cold." I pointed at the full plate and he sat down immediately, grateful to have something that would distract him. Edward was walking down the stairs with Nessie. As he rounded the corner I was grateful to see that at least he had remembered his t-shirt.

"Good morning Nessie. Want some breakfast?" Charlie asked between bites.

"Yes." Renesmee nodded enthusiastically. I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

"What would you like baby?" I asked her quickly before she could change her mind.

"Eggs!" Her smile was so wide it confused me. She was never this excited when it came to human food.

"I'll make you some right away." I glanced at Edward and his glowing smile matched our daughters. The part of their conversation that I'd missed had obviously been very convincing.

While I scrambled the eggs on the pan Renesmee explained. "Daddy told me eggs were the only thing you could eat when you were pregnant with me."

I managed not to drop the serving spoon by sheer instinct. I froze instantly, waiting for my father's reaction.

Charlie coughed, his eyes wider than I'd ever seen them. He pounded his chest while he continued to cough. Edward rushed over to him and patted his back with a worried look on his face. I was frozen still, completely caught off guard.

Charlie knew, of course, that Renesmee was my daughter. She had my eyes and Edward's perfect features; there was no way around that. Whatever story he had created in his head to explain her existence, however, had obviously not included me being pregnant.

When the coughing stopped Edward went on as if nothing had happened. "So eggs seem like a good idea, don't they Nessie?"

Renesmee, worried and confused, managed to nod.

I turned back to the stove and served her food on a plate. She sniffed delicately and took an experimental bite. From her face I figured she was about to spit the food right back out so I rushed to find a napkin but she kept chewing and eventually swallowed. When she took another bite I realized it was probably the texture that had her flinching. The taste, however seemed not to bother her.

Charlie picked his fork back up after a few moments, obviously deciding to pretend as if he hadn't heard a thing. Edward covered his lips with his hand in an obvious attempt to hide his silent laughs. The entire situation was far from funny to me but he was obviously amused.

Nessie finished her breakfast in silence. As soon as she was done Edward lifted her up and took her upstairs to change. Once they were gone I started on the dishes, turning away from Charlie's now inquisitive stare.

"Bella?"

I sighed, preparing myself for his unanswerable questions.

"Yeah dad?"

"Don't you think Renesmee is a little young to know about pregnancy?"

His question surprised me so much I wheeled around to stare at him. He immediately got defensive. "I mean far be it from me to question your parenting methods. You're an incredible mother honey but she just looks a little young to sound so technical."

For the longest time I couldn't even answer him. Eventually I manage to splutter out something that sounded like a yes. "She's just... Very inquisitive, dad. Edward and I don't like lying to her. We try to answer her questions as honestly as we can."

"Well she _is_ very advanced for her age. I just hope you spared her the details." He went back to his breakfast and I barely contained a groan. How could I explain to Charlie that my child could remember being inside of me? She didn't need much in the explanation department.

Edward and Renesmee appeared at the doorway then, fully clothed. "Bella honey, you should probably get dressed. Alice is expecting us. There's a new cartoon playing in theaters in Port Angeles and she wanted to take Nessie to the matinee."

"She made me promise to go with her." Nessie rolled her eyes looking so much like Edward it made my heart swell.

"In that case we should really get going. We shouldn't make Alice wait." I rushed upstairs to change grateful for the quick escape. I loved my father to death but something about spending the night in the same house felt a little too intimate, too dangerous even.

I didn't know whether to smile or frown when I realized I could no longer think of Charlie's house as home. I had my own home now but even before we'd gotten our cottage, the large Cullen mansion had always felt more like home than my little house in Forks. From the moment I realized I loved Edward home became wherever he happened to be. I decided to smile as I walked down the stairs. Maybe I was finally ready to leave Forks.

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I sat in one of the airport's hard plastic chairs with my head on Edward's shoulder and Renesmee sleeping peacefully on my lap. We had decided not to move just yet since we still had a lot of stuff to figure out like the Jacob situation and the future living arrangements.

The most important thing to figure out though was where we'd be moving to. Since it was my first time relocating my family decided to leave the location up to me. Edward had been impossible since then, insisting on giving me a tour of every possible city so I could make an informed decision. We were currently in our way to Juneau, Alaska. Carlisle and Esme never mentioned it but Edward knew they longed to be closer to our grieving cousins for a while.

Carlisle was grateful for my decision to move on, even though he'd never admit that either. He was going to have to quit his job soon, the age he was pretending to be was getting ridiculous for his appearance, and I knew how much he hated being away from the hospital. He had decided to open a private practice wherever we went until Renesmee reached her growth limit so he could spend as much time as possible at home.

I'd talked to my father about it and he had agreed to let us go without a fuss as long as we promised to visit often. He had Sue to keep him company now. He truly didn't need me anymore.

Those were the thoughts that ran through my head while we waited for our plane. Edward lifted my chin with his finger and stared deeply into my eyes.

"Are you sure you want to go, Bella?" He asked me for the thousandth time.

I just smiled and pulled his lips to mine, silencing his questions with a deep kiss. He held my face between his gentle hands and pulled me closer, careful not to wake the baby.

While we kissed someone sat on the chair in front of us. I heard the person sigh in contempt at our public display of affection.

Edward's lips froze and I opened my eyes instantly. His lips were still on mine, but his eyes were wide open.

"What?" I whispered against his lips. He just turned around. I turned with him and gasped. Sitting directly in front of us, looking as if she'd suddenly seen a ghost, sat Lauren. Her mouth contorted in a horrified grimace and she whispered with disgust in a surprisingly nasal voice. "Oh God."

I closed my eyes and groaned, instantly crossing Juneau from my list of possibilities. Even though the city seemed perfect for us I instantly realized I'd rather move to Florida and spend the rest of eternity indoors than move to a place where I could possibly run into Lauren. As I stared at her shocked face all I could mumble was "Here we go again."

Edward stood up and pulled me up with him. He took the baby from me and turned around on his heels with one arm around my shoulders.

"Where are we going?" I frowned.

"Home." He growled.

"But we have tickets." I complained.

"Forget them. I'll exchange them for another day, I'll exchange them for anything else."

"Our bags are already on the plane! They'll lose them!"

"I'll buy you new clothes."

"Edward." I yanked him to a stop. Renesmee, who was now wide awake, stared at him in confusion just like I did.

"Edward stop. I know Lauren's thoughts are probably terrible and believe me, it's no picnic traveling with her for me either but this is ridiculous!"

"It's not that." He ran a hand through his hair in exasperation.

I frowned "She's not thinking vile things about us?"

"Of course she is, but I'm used to vile. It's something else."

"Well what is it? What could possibly make you decide not to board a plane when we're supposed to leave in twenty minutes?"

He stared at me for the longest time and then growled. "She has the Small World song stuck in her head. If I have to listen to that for the entire plane ride I'll be humming it for weeks."

I was still laughing while he pulled out of the parking lot.

THE END

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_Thanks for reading guys! Sorry it took this long. In my defense I graduated College this month! Yay me! lol _


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